Dearest Gee.
Well, honey, I got your Oct. 19th, and 20th letters today. Also got a nice long one from Mom dated the 20th. We’ve been pretty busy lately so I haven’t had a chance to write. I got a chance to use this typewriter so you can at least half way read this one.
The lighter flints came through in good shape and I sho thank you kindly for them. I used one of these French flints in the lighter and it damned near gummed the works up. I wouldn’t trade my lighter for the world.
It looks like now the air-mails are coming in just as quickly as the v-mails so I sure would lots rather have air-mails if it’s all the same to you.
Who the devil is Glen Albin? Evidently there must be a letter coming that I haven’t got yet. I gather that he is staying at Mildred’s, is that right? Mighty fine job he has anyway. I’ll take a dollars worth of it anytime.
So poor Val lost her tonsils and her boyfriend at the same time. That may sound cruel but that is saving a lot of space here. As long as her boyfriend is just missing and being in the air corp, he’s probably a p.w. by now. If he is, he’s got it made. That’s the way it goes with volunteers. It doesn’t pay. Sounds as tho you might be a bit mad on me, are you? Hope not. I don’t want to come back to another fight. By the way, are you in good condition for a good fight?
You rattle off that strategy of yours like you really know what it’s all about. Every time you imagine me some place — I ain’t. Wife, when you say it’s going to be bad this winter you don’t know the half of it. I didn’t send the German helmet for a very good reason, but I think I could pick one up most anywhere and send it if you’d want one. What on earth would you do with it? There seems to be quite a few of the Jerries that decided they didn’t need their head-pieces any longer. Not near enough tho.
Yep, we had an anniversary last month. Celebrated it in the true army fashion. That is, as just another day. Might of been just a little worse than others but we’ll let that go.
All I can say about the latest news you tell is that I’ve about decided it’s all a lot of hogwash. Why they print that crap I sure don’t know. It doesn’t seem to pan out the way they wish it as a rule. Just gets every one excited over nothing.
Guess my letters along the 7, 8, and 10th were pretty bad, hey? I get those streaks once in awhile and have to unload. Don’t worry too much about it. I was pretty much down in the dumps about that time.
I am glad to report that our mutual friend Doug is getting along okay doaky. He’s my drinking partner, when I drink, but that’s not very often these days. I had a field day today seeing all the old gang. Hadn’t talked with them for so long they almost seemed like strangers. Saw old Kellershon, and Close. Close asked about you. He wanted to know how many packages I had received from you. When I told him four, he danged near passed out. Lee and Willy Nelson are okay. Willy is recuperating from his operation on his rear. Lee is a T/4 now, and Willy T/5. Did you know that?
So you spilled the beans, hey? Sure wish you hadn’t. Now I got a letter from Mom and she is all worked up about the whole thing. I’m still going to split the difference with you both on this deal. Mom told me before about the other part and I know all about it. Kid, this is in the nature of a Christmas present. I don’t want to just blow it in on anything and that’s what would happen if I kept it. This way you both can get some good out of it. Keep this to yourself, but Erv wrote me that he was going to send Mom some money too. Whether he does or not I don’t know, but maybe he doesn’t want Mae to know. If that is the way it is, be sure and keep his secret for him but at any rate don’t tell Mom anything about that. You know, kid, I don’t want the folks to worry and it seems to me they can’t help but be doing just that. What Erv and Mae do is their worries, we’ll have to iron ours out at a later date if we have any. Have we got any? I hope we never have any. Besides, kid, if I give them money it isn’t as if I owed it to them, it’s because I just want them to have it. Please don’t be mad at me. Will you? Do you need more dough, honey? I can probably scrape up another tenner, if you do say so. I mean it.
I’m getting low on conversation now so guess I’ll have to give this up. Ordinarily this would equal about four pages anyway, wouldn’t it? Honey I sure love you and miss you. Sure hope I can see you all soon.
So long now,
Snook
Letters From Snook 